K-band Light Research Articles

A 9 Month Hubble Space Telescope Near-UV Survey of M87. I. Light and Color Curves of 94 Novae, and a Redetermination of the Nova Rate* * This paper is respectfully dedicated to Jay Gallagher and the late Art Code, who first characterized the striking ultraviolet behavior of a nova a half-century ago.

M87 has been monitored with a cadence of 5 days over a span of 9 months through the near-ultraviolet (NUV; F275W) and optical (F606W) filters of the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) of the Hubble Space Telescope. This unprecedented dataset yields the NUV and optical light and color curves of 94 M87 novae, characterizing the outburst and decline properties of the largest extragalactic nova dataset in the literature (after M31 and M81). We test and confirm nova modelers’ prediction that recurrent novae cannot erupt more frequently than once every 45 days, show that there are zero rapidly recurring novae in the central ∼1/3 of M87 with recurrence times <130 days, demonstrate that novae closely follow the K-band light of M87 to within a few arcsecs of the galaxy nucleus, show that nova NUV light curves are as heterogeneous as their optical counterparts, and usually peak 5–30 days after visible light maximum, determine our observations’ annual detection completeness to be 71%–77%, and measure the rate R nova of nova eruptions in M87 as yr−1. The corresponding luminosity-specific classical nova rate for this galaxy is . These rates confirm that ground-based observations of extragalactic novae miss most faint, fast novae and those near the centers of galaxies. An annual M87 nova rate of 300 or more seems inescapable. A luminosity-specific nova rate of ∼7–10/yr/1010 L ⊙,K in all types of galaxies is indicated by the data available in 2023.

Infrared lags in the light curves of AGNs measured using a deep survey

ABSTRACT Information on the structure around active galactic nuclei (AGNs) has long been derived from measuring lags in their varying light output at different wavelengths. In principle, infrared data would reach to larger radii, potentially even probing reprocessed radiation in any surrounding dusty torus. In practice, this has proved challenging because high quality data are required to detect such variability, and the observations must stretch over a long period to probe the likely month-scale lags in variability. In addition, large numbers of sources would need to be observed to start searching for any patterns in such lags. Here, we show that the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey, built up from repeated observations over almost a decade, provides an ideal data set for such a study. For 94 sources identified as strongly varying AGNs within its square-degree field, we find that the K-band light curves systematically lag the J-band light curves by an average of around a month. The lags become smaller at higher redshift, consistent with the band shift to optical rest-frame emission. The less luminous AGNs also display shorter lags, as would be expected if their physical size scales with luminosity.

The VMC Survey

Context. Variability is a key property of stars on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB). Their pulsation period is related to the luminosity and mass-loss rate of the star. Long-period variables (LPVs) and Mira variables are the most prominent of all types of variability of evolved stars. The reddest, most obscured AGB stars are too faint in the optical and have eluded large variability surveys. Aims. We obtained a sample of LPVs by analysing K-band light curves (LCs) of a large number of sources in the direction of the Magellanic Clouds with the colours expected for red AGB stars ((J − K) &gt; 3 mag or equivalent in other colour combinations). Methods. Selection criteria were derived based on colour-colour and colour-magnitude diagrams from the combination of the VISTA Magellanic Cloud (VMC) survey, Spitzer IRAC and AllWISE data. After eliminating LPVs with known periods shorter than 450 days, a sample of 1299 candidate obscured AGB stars was selected. K-band LCs were constructed by combining the epoch photometry available in the VMC survey with literature data, were analysed for variability, and fitted with a single period sine curve to derive mean magnitudes, amplitudes, and periods. A subset of 254 stars are either new variables, known variables where the period we find is better determined than the literature value, or variables with periods longer than 1000 days. The spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of these stars were fitted to a large number of templates. For this purpose the SEDs and Spitzer IRS spectra of some non-AGB stars (Be stars, HII regions and young stellar objects – YSOs) were also fitted to have templates of the most likely contaminants in the sample. Results. A sample of 217 likely LPVs is found. Thirty-four stars have periods longer than 1000 days, although some of them have alternative shorter periods. The longest period of a known Mira in the Magellanic Clouds from Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment data (with P = 1810 d) is derived to have a period of 2075 d based on its infrared LC. Two stars are found to have longer periods, but both have lower luminosities and smaller pulsation amplitudes than expected for Miras. Mass-loss rates and luminosities are estimated from the template fitting. Period-luminosity relations are presented for carbon (C-) and oxygen (O-) rich Miras that appear to be extensions of relations derived in the literature for shorter periods. The fit for the C stars is particularly well defined (with 182 objects) and reads Mbol = (−2.27 ± 0.20) ⋅ log P + (1.45 ± 0.54) mag with an rms of 0.41 mag. Thirty-four stars show pulsation properties typical of Miras while the SEDs indicate that they are not. Overall, the results of the LC fitting are presented for over 200 stars that are associated with YSOs.

A multiplicity study of transiting exoplanet host stars

Context. Binarity is a widespread phenomenon around solar-type stars, including the host stars of transiting extrasolar planets. Aims. We performed a detailed study of six transiting planetary systems with relatively bright stars close enough to affect observations of these systems. These contaminants were characterised in a companion work. Methods. We used theoretical spectra to propagate the observed K-band light ratios into the optical passbands used to observe these systems. Light curves were analysed whilst taking the contaminating light and its uncertainty into account. We present and applied a method to correct the velocity amplitudes of the host stars for the presence of contaminating light. Results. We determined the physical properties of six systems (WASP-20, WASP-70, WASP-8, WASP-76, WASP-2, and WASP-131) whilst accounting for contaminating light. In the case of WASP-20, the measured physical properties are very different for the three scenarios considered: ignoring binarity, planet transits brighter star, and planet transits fainter star. In the other five cases, our results are very similar to those obtained when neglecting contaminating light. We used our results to determine the mean correction factors to planet radius, ⟨XR⟩, mass, ⟨XM⟩, and density, ⟨Xρ⟩, caused by nearby objects. We find ⟨XR⟩ = 1.009 ± 0.045, which is smaller than literature values because we were able to reject the possibility that the planet orbits the fainter star in all but one case. We find ⟨XM⟩ = 1.031 ± 0.019, which is larger than ⟨XR⟩ because of the strength of the effect of contaminating light on the radial velocity measurements of the host star. We find ⟨Xρ⟩ = 0.995 ± 0.046: the small size of this correction is due to two effects: the corrections on planet radius and mass partially cancel; and some nearby stars are close enough to contaminate the light curves of the system but not radial velocities of the host star. These corrections can be applied to samples of transiting hot Jupiters to statistically remove biases due to light contamination. Conclusions. We conclude that binarity of planet host stars is important for the small number of transiting hot Jupiters with a very bright and close nearby star, but it has only a small effect on population-level studies of these objects.

Long-term NIR variability in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey: a new probe of AGN activity at high redshift

ABSTRACT We present the first attempt to select active galactic nuclei (AGN) using long-term near-infrared (NIR) variability. By analysing the K-band light curves of all the galaxies in the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Ultra Deep Survey, the deepest NIR survey over ∼1 deg2, we have isolated 393 variable AGN candidates. A comparison to other selection techniques shows that only half of the variable sources are also selected using either deep Chandra X-ray imaging or Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) colour selection, suggesting that using NIR variability can locate AGN that are missed by more standard selection techniques. In particular, we find that long-term NIR variability identifies AGN at low luminosities and in host galaxies with low stellar masses, many of which appear relatively X-ray quiet.

Rapid luminosity decline and subsequent reformation of the innermost dust distribution in the changing-look AGN Mrk 590

ABSTRACT We examine the long-term optical/near-infrared (NIR) flux variability of a ‘changing-look’ active galactic nucleus (AGN) Mrk 590 between 1998 and 2007. Multiband multi-epoch optical/NIR photometry data from the SDSS Stripe 82 data base and the Multicolor Active Galactic Nuclei Monitoring (MAGNUM) project reveal that Mrk 590 experienced a sudden luminosity decrease during the period from 2000 to 2001. Detection of dust reverberation lag signals between V- and K-band light curves obtained by the MAGNUM project during the faint state in 2003–2007 suggests that the dust torus innermost radius Rdust of Mrk 590 had become very small [Rdust ≃ 32 light-days (lt-days)] by the year 2004 according to the aforementioned significant decrease in AGN luminosity. The Rdust in the faint state is comparable to the H β broad-line region (BLR) radius of RH β, BLR ≃ 26 lt-days measured by previous reverberation mapping observations during the bright state of Mrk 590 in 1990–1996. These observations indicate that the innermost radius of the dust torus in Mrk 590 decreased rapidly after the AGN ultraviolet-optical luminosity drop, and that the replenishment time-scale of the innermost dust distribution is less than 4 yr, which is much shorter than the free fall time-scale of BLR gas or dust clouds. We suggest that rapid replenishment of the innermost dust distribution can be accomplished either by new dust formation in radiatively cooled BLR gas clouds or by new dust formation in the disc atmosphere and subsequent vertical wind from the dusty disc as a result of radiation pressure.

REVERBERATION MEASUREMENTS OF THE INNER RADIUS OF THE DUST TORUS IN 17 SEYFERT GALAXIES

We present the results of a dust reverberation survey for 17 nearby Seyfert 1 galaxies, which provides the largest homogeneous data collection for the radius of the innermost dust torus. A delayed response of the K-band light curve after the V-band light curve was found for all targets, and 49 measurements of lag times between the flux variation of the dust emission in the K band and that of the optical continuum emission in the V band were obtained. The lag times strongly correlated with the optical luminosity in the luminosity range of M_V=-16 to -22 mag, and the regression analysis was performed to obtain the correlation log $\Delta t$ (days) = -2.11 -0.2 M_V assuming $\Delta t \propto L^{0.5}$, which was theoretically expected. We discuss the possible origins of the intrinsic scatter of the dust lag-luminosity correlation, which was estimated to be about 0.13 dex, and we find that the difference of internal extinction and delayed response of changes in lag times to the flux variations could have partly contributed to intrinsic scatter. However, we could not detect any systematic change of the correlation with the subclass of the Seyfert type or the Eddington ratio. Finally, we compare the dust reverberation radius with the near-infrared interferometric radius of the dust torus and the reverberation radius of broad Balmer emission lines. The interferometric radius in the K band was found to be systematically larger than the dust reverberation radius in the same band by about a factor of two, which could be interpreted by the difference between the flux-weighted radius and the response-weighted radius of the innermost dust torus. The reverberation radius of the broad Balmer emission lines was found to be systematically smaller than the dust reverberation radius by about a factor of 4-5, which strongly supports the unified scheme of the Seyfert type of active galactic nuclei. (Abridged)

EVIDENCE FOR A CONSTANT INITIAL MASS FUNCTION IN EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES BASED ON THEIR X-RAY BINARY POPULATIONS,

A number of recent studies have proposed that the stellar initial mass function (IMF) of early type galaxies varies systematically as a function of galaxy mass, with higher mass galaxies having bottom heavy IMFs. These bottom heavy IMFs have more low-mass stars relative to the number of high mass stars, and therefore naturally result in proportionally fewer neutron stars and black holes. In this paper, we specifically predict the variation in the number of black holes and neutron stars based on the power-law IMF variation required to reproduce the observed mass-to-light ratio trends with galaxy mass. We then test whether such variations are observed by studying the field low-mass X-ray binary populations (LMXBs) of nearby early-type galaxies. In these binaries, a neutron star or black hole accretes matter from a low-mass donor star. Their number is therefore expected to scale with the number of black holes and neutron stars present in a galaxy. We find that the number of LMXBs per K-band light is similar among the galaxies in our sample. These data therefore demonstrate the uniformity of the slope of the IMF from massive stars down to those now dominating the K-band light, and are consistent with an invariant IMF. Our results are inconsistent with an IMF which varies from a Kroupa/Chabrier like IMF for low mass galaxies to a steep power-law IMF (with slope $x$=2.8) for high mass galaxies. We discuss how these observations constrain the possible forms of the IMF variations and how future Chandra observations can enable sharper tests of the IMF.

Arp 220: EXTINCTION AND MERGER-INDUCED STAR FORMATION

We analyse new spatially resolved integral field spectroscopic H- and K-band data at a resolution of 0.3arcsec (100pc) and re-analyse interferometric CO(2-1) line observations of the prototypical merging system Arp220. We find that the majority of the K-band luminosity is due to a 10Myr old starburst, with a significant contribution from an underlying ca 1Gyr old stellar population, and a small contribution from stars less than 8Myr old. The Calzetti (2000) reddening law provides the best fit to photometric datapoints spanning 0.45um -- 2.12um. Furthermore, estimates of the bolometric luminosity from IRAS fluxes in conjunction with our stellar population analysis indicate that we observe less than 10% of the emitted K-band light. The stellar and CO(2-1) kinematic centre of the western nucleus coincides with the compact hot dust emission, indicating that the latter marks the centre of the gravitational potential. In the eastern nucleus, the CO(2-1) data are well matched by a model in which the gas orbits around the peak of the dust emission. This, and the similarity of the K-band tracer kinematics, shows that despite the irregular morphology, the eastern nucleus is also a kinematically coherent structure. Comparison of the extinction map and EW_CO and EW_Br-gamma maps indicates that the lower half of the eastern nucleus is significantly more extincted than the upper half, suggesting that the lower half is buried in the larger-scale gas disk.

Galaxy groups and clouds in the local (z∼ 0.01) Universe

We present an all-sky catalogue of 395 nearby galaxy groups revealed in the Local Supercluster and its surroundings. The groups and their associations are identified among 10914 galaxies at |b|>15deg with radial velocities VLG<3500 km/s. Our group finding algorithm requires the group members to be located inside their zero-velocity surface. Hereby, we assume that individual galaxy masses are proportional to their total K-band luminosities, M/L_K=6 Msun/Lsun. The sample of our groups, where each group has n>=4 members, is characterized by the following medians: mean projected radius <R>=268 kpc, radial velocity dispersion sigma_V=74 km/s, K-band luminosity L_K=1.2x10^11 Lsun, virial and projected masses Mvir=2.4x10^12 and Mp=3.3x10^12 Msun, respectively. Accounting for measurement error reduces the median masses by 30 per cent. For 97 per cent of identified groups the crossing time does not exceed the cosmic time, 13.7 Gyr, having the median at 3.8 Gyr. We examine different properties of the groups, in particular, of the known nearby groups and clusters in Virgo and Fornax. About a quarter of our groups can be classified as fossil groups where the dominant galaxy is at least ten times brighter than the other group members. In total, our algorithm identifies 54 per cent of galaxies to be members of groups. Together with triple systems and pairs they gather 82 per cent of the K-band light in Local universe. We have obtained the local value of matter density to be Omega_m=0.08+-0.02 within a distance of ~40 Mpc assuming H0=73 km/s/Mpc. It is significantly smaller than the cosmic value, 0.28, in the standard lambdaCDM model. The discrepancy between the global and local quantities of Omega_m may be caused by the existence of Dark Matter component unrelated to the virial masses of galaxy systems.

THE MID-INFRARED LUMINOSITIES OF NORMAL GALAXIES OVER COSMIC TIME

Modern population synthesis models estimate that 50% of the restframe K-band light is produced by TP-AGB stars during the first Gyr of a stellar population, with a substantial fraction continuing to be produced by the TP-AGB over a Hubble time. Between 0.2 and 1.5 Gyr, intermediate mass stars evolve into TP-AGB C stars which, due to significant amounts of circumstellar dust, emit half their energy in the mid-IR. We combine these results using published mid-IR colors of Galactic TP-AGB M and C stars to construct simple models for exploring the contribution of the TP-AGB to 24micron data as a function of stellar population age. We compare these empirical models with an ensemble of galaxies in the CDFS from z=0 to z=2, and with high quality imaging in M81. Within the uncertainties, the TP-AGB appears responsible for a substantial fraction of the mid-IR luminosities of galaxies from z=0 to z=2, the maximum redshift to which we can test our hypothesis, while, at the same time, our models reproduce much of the detailed structure observed in mid-IR imaging of M81. The mid-IR is a good diagnostic of star formation over timescales of ~1.5 Gyr, but this implies that on-going star formation rates at z=1 may be overestimated by factors of ~1.5-6, depending on the nature of star formation events. Our results, if confirmed through subsequent work, have strong implications for the star formation rate density of the universe and the growth of stellar mass over time.

MACS J1423.8+2404: gravitational lensing by a massive, relaxed cluster of galaxies atz= 0.54

We present results of a gravitational-lensing and optical study of MACS ,J1423.8+2404 (z=0.545, MACS, J1423). Our analysis uses high-resolution images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope in the F555W and F814W passbands, ground based imaging in eight optical and near-infrared filters obtained with Subaru and CFHT, as well as extensive spectroscopic data gathered with the Keck telescopes. At optical wavelengths the cluster exhibits no sign of substructure and is dominated by a cD galaxy that is 2.1 magnitudes (K-band) brighter than the second brightest cluster member, suggesting that MACS, J1423 is close to be fully virialized. Analysis of the redshift distribution of 140 cluster members reveals a Gaussian distribution, mildly disturbed by the presence of a loose galaxy group that may be falling into the cluster along the line of sight. Combining strong-lensing constraints from two spectroscopically confirmed multiple-image systems near the cluster core with a weak-lensing measurement of the gravitational shear on larger scales, we derive a parametric mass model for the mass distribution. All constraints can be satisfied by a uni-modal mass distribution centred on the cD galaxy and exhibiting very little substructure. The derived projected mass of M(<65\arcsec [415 kpc])=(4.3\pm0.6)\times 10^{14} M_sun is about 30% higher than the one derived from X-ray analyses assuming spherical symmetry, suggesting a slightly prolate mass distribution consistent with the optical indication of residual line-of-sight structure. The similarity in shape and excellent alignment of the centroids of the total mass, K-band light, and intra-cluster gas distributions add to the picture of a highly evolved system [ABRIDGED]

Identifying Bright Stars in Crowded Environments Using Velocity Dispersion Measurements, and an Application to the Center of M3211Based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (US), the Science and Technology

ABSTRACTThe identification of individual stars in crowded environments using photometric information alone is confounded by source confusion. However, with the addition of spectroscopic information it is possible to distinguish between blends and areas where the light is dominated by a single star, using the widths of absorption features. We describe a procedure for identifying locations in kinematically hot environments where the light is dominated by a single star, and apply this method to spectra with 0.1″ angular resolution covering the 2.1–2.3 μm interval in the central regions of M32. Targets for detailed investigation are selected as areas of localized brightness enhancement. Three locations where at least 60% of the K-band light comes from a single bright star, and another with light that is dominated by two stars with very different velocities, are identified. The dominant stars are evolving near the tip of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB), and have M5 III spectral type. The lack of a dispersion in spectral type suggests that the upper AGB within the central arcsecond of M32 has a dispersion in J - K of only a few hundredths of a magnitude, in agreement with what is seen at larger radii. One star has weaker atomic absorption lines than the others, such that [M/H] is 0.2 dex lower. Such a difference in metallicity is consistent with the metallicity dispersion inferred from the photometric width of the AGB in M32. The use of line width to distinguish between blends involving many relatively faint stars, none of which dominate the light output, and areas that are dominated by a single intrinsically bright star could be extended to crowded environments in other nearby galaxies.

Gravitational potential and X-ray luminosities of early-type galaxies observed with XMM-Newton and Chandra

We study the dark matter content in early-type galaxies and investigate whether X-ray luminosities of early-type galaxies are determined by the surrounding gravitational potential. We derived gravitational mass profiles of 22 early-type galaxies observed with XMM-Newton and Chandra. Sixteen galaxies show constant or decreasing radial temperature profiles, and their X-ray luminosities are consistent with kinematical energy input from stellar mass loss. The temperature profiles of the other 6 galaxies increase with radius, and their X-ray luminosities are significantly higher. The integrated mass-to-light ratio of each galaxy is constant at that of stars within 0.5–1re, and increases with radius. The scatter of the central mass-to-light ratio of galaxies was less in K-band light. At 3re, the integrated mass-to-light ratios of galaxies with flat or decreasing temperature profiles are twice the value at 0.5re, where the stellar mass dominates, and at 6re, these increase to three times the value at 0.5re. This feature should reflect common dark and stellar mass distributions in early-type galaxies: Within 3re, the mass of dark matter is similar to the stellar mass, while within 6re, the former is larger than the latter by two-fold. In contrast, X-ray luminous galaxies have higher gravitational mass in the outer regions than X-ray faint galaxies. We describe these X-ray luminous galaxies as the central objects of large potential structures; the presence or absence of this potential is the main source of the large scatter in the X-ray luminosity.

Gravitational potential and X-ray luminosities of early-type galaxies observed with XMM-Newton and Chandra

We study dark matter content in early-type galaxies and investigate whether X-ray luminosities of early-type galaxies are determined by the surrounding gravitational potential. We derived gravitational mass profiles of 22 early-type galaxies observed with XMM-Newton and Chandra. Sixteen galaxies show constant or decreasing radial temperature profiles, and their X-ray luminosities are consistent with kinematical energy input from stellar mass loss. The temperature profiles of the other 6 galaxies increase with radius, and their X-ray luminosities are significantly higher. The integrated mass-to-light ratio of each galaxy is constant at that of stars within 0.5-1 r_e, and increases with radius, where r_e is the effective radius of a galaxy. The scatter of the central mass-to-light ratio of galaxies was less in K-band light. At 3r_e, the integrated mass-to-light ratios of galaxies with flat or decreasing temperature profiles are twice the value at 0.5r_e, where the stellar mass dominates, and at 6r_e, these increase to three times the value at 0.5r_e. This feature should reflect common dark and stellar mass distributions in early-type galaxies: Within 3r_e, the mass of dark matter is similar to the stellar mass, while within 6r_e, the former is larger than the latter by a factor of two. By contrast, X-ray luminous galaxies have higher gravitational mass in the outer regions than X-ray faint galaxies. We describe these X-ray luminous galaxies as the central objects of large potential structures; the presence or absence of this potential is the main source of the large scatter in the X-ray luminosity.

Chandra Detection of Diffuse Hot Gas in and around the M31 Bulge

We report the detection of diffuse hot gas in M31, using archival Chandra observations that allow us to map out a 30' × 30' field (covering a galactocentric radius up to 4.5 kpc) and to detect sources in the galaxy down to a 0.5-8 keV luminosity limit of ~1035 ergs s-1. We estimate the remaining stellar contribution from fainter X-ray sources (primarily cataclysmic variables and coronally active binaries), assuming that they spatially follow the stellar distribution. Indeed, the near-IR K-band light of the galaxy closely traces the 2-8 keV unresolved X-rays, indicating a collective stellar X-ray emissivity consistent with those determined for the Galactic ridge and M32, whereas the amount of the 0.5-2 keV unresolved emission is significantly greater than the expected stellar contribution, especially within a galactocentric radius of ~2 kpc. Morphologically, this soft X-ray excess appears substantially rounder than the bulge as seen in K band and is elongated approximately along the minor-axis at large radii. The excess thus most likely represents the emission of diffuse hot gas in and around the galactic bulge. Furthermore, the near side of the M31 disk casts an apparent shadow against the soft X-ray excess, indicating that the hot gas extends to at least 2.5 kpc from the galactic plane. We briefly discuss the implications of these results on the energy balance in the M31 bulge and on understanding the large-scale soft X-ray enhancement observed toward the inner region of our own Galaxy.

Physical interpretation of the near-infrared colours of low-redshift galaxies

We use empirical techniques to interpret the near-infrared colours of a sample of 5800 galaxies drawn from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) main spectroscopic sample with YJHK photometry from the UK Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) data release one. We study correlations between near-IR colours measured within SDSS fibre and physical parameters derived from the spectra. These parameters include specific star formation rate, stellar age, metallicity and dust attenuation. All correlations are analyzed for samples of galaxies that are closely matched in redshift, in stellar mass and in concentration index. Whereas more strongly star-forming galaxies have bluer optical colours, the opposite is true at near-IR wavelengths -- galaxies with higher specific star formation rate have redder near-IR colours. This result agrees qualitatively with the predictions of models in which Thermally Pulsing Asymptotic Giant Branch (TP-AGB) stars dominate the H and K-band light of a galaxy following a burst of star formation. We also find a surprisingly strong correlation between the near-IR colours of star-forming galaxies and their dust attenuation as measured from the Balmer decrement. Unlike optical colours, however, near-IR colours exhibit very little dependence on galaxy inclination. This suggests that the correlation of near-IR colours with dust attenuation arises because TP-AGB stars are the main source of dust in the galaxy. Finally, we compare the near-IR colours of the galaxies in our sample to the predictions of three different stellar population models: the Bruzual & Charlot 2003 model, a preliminary version of a new model under development by Charlot & Bruzual, which includes a new prescription for AGB star evolution, and the Maraston 2005 model.

Chandra and XMM-Newton detection of large-scale diffuse X-ray emission from the Sombrero galaxy

We present an X-ray study of the massive edge-on Sa galaxy, Sombrero (M 104; NGC 4594), based on XMM–Newton and Chandra observations. A list of 62 XMM–Newton and 175 Chandra discrete X-ray sources is provided, the majority of which are associated with the galaxy. Spectral analysis is carried out for relatively bright individual sources and for an accumulated source spectrum. At energies ≳2 keV, the source-subtracted X-ray emission is distributed similarly as the stellar K-band light and is primarily due to the residual emission from discrete sources. At lower energies, however, a substantial fraction of the source-subtracted emission arises from diffuse hot gas extending to ∼20 kpc from the galactic centre. The galactic disc shows little X-ray emission and instead shadows part of the X-ray radiation from the bulge. The observed diffuse X-ray emission from the galaxy shows a steep spectrum that can be characterized by an optically thin thermal plasma with temperatures of ∼0.6–0.7 keV, varying little with radius. The diffuse emission has a total luminosity of ∼3 × 1039 erg s−1 in the 0.2–2 keV energy range. This luminosity is significantly smaller than the prediction by current numerical simulations for galaxies as massive as Sombrero. However, such simulations do not include the effect of quiescent stellar feedback (e.g. ejecta from evolving stars and Type Ia supernovae) against the accretion from intergalactic medium. We argue that the stellar feedback likely plays an essential role in regulating the physical properties of hot gas. Indeed, the observed diffuse X-ray luminosity of Sombrero accounts for at most a few per cent of the expected mechanical energy input from Type Ia supernovae. The inferred gas mass and metal content are also substantially less than those expected from stellar ejecta. We speculate that a galactic bulge wind, powered primarily by Type Ia supernovae, has removed much of the ‘missing’ energy and metal-enriched gas from the region revealed by the X-ray observations.

The luminosity function of X-ray point sources in Centaurus A

We have studied the X-ray point source population of Centaurus A (NGC 5128) using data from four archival CHANDRA observations. We detected 272 point-like X-ray sources within a radius of 10 arcmin from the centre. Approximately half of these are CXB sources, with the remaining half being LMXBs. The spatial distribution of the LMXBs, both azimuthally averaged and 2-D, is consistent with the distribution of the K-band light observed in the 2MASS survey. After correction for the incompleteness effect we constrain the LMXB luminosity function down to 2 times 10^{36} erg/s, much lower than previous studies of LMXBs in elliptical galaxies. The obtained XLF flattens significantly below L_X = 5 times 10^{37} erg/s and follows the dN/dL proportional to 1/L law in agreement with the behaviour found earlier for LMXBs in the Milky Way and in the bulge of M31.

A Multiwavelength Study of AM Herculis during the 2002-2004 Low States

We present two epochs of low-state, near-IR spectroscopy of the polar prototype AM Her, along with K-band spectroscopy and JHK photometry. Combining our data with long-term (RoboScope) photometry of the system, we determine a new spectroscopic ephemeris for AM Her. According to the new ephemeris, the primary photometric minimum of the high-state light curve of the system is centered at phase zero. Our K-band spectrum, in which the Brγ and He I (2.06 μm) lines are essentially absent, confirms that during the low state, accretion was negligible. Ellipsoidal variations dominate the J-band light curve, whereas cyclotron harmonics are prominent in the H- and K-band light curves. Cyclotron emission during a time of negligible accretion has been observed in other low- polars. The Hα line is often triple peaked, and all three components follow the motion of the secondary star. The central peak likely originates from the irradiated inner hemisphere of the secondary. The blue/red satellite components reach velocities of ~300 km s-1 with respect to the secondary and coincide in phase with flaring events recently discovered from a photometric campaign. We argue that the satellite behavior is consistent with motions in large loop coronal structures on the secondary star.